A room with no view. How do you create a view or simply detract from this issue?

My little apartment is quite sweet, but the lounge is small and the window overlooks the main passage walkway. Yes, pretty grim. I did at one stage put a potted plant outside to create something to look at! (It looks a bit like a small tree!) Aside from this are there other ways to create a view? or simply ignore the fact that there is no view by making something in the room more elaborate in order to detract from this. Would herb boxes look nice? Which type of herbs would survive sunlight and heat? Have you seen stunning rooms that had no view? Why were they great?